Sail on the Snailboat!
Vernon, Ursula. Nurk: The Strange, Surprising Adventures of a (Somewhat) Brave Shrew. Orlando : Harcourt, 2008.
Plot: Nurk, a young, recently orphaned shrew, accidentally opens a letter intended for his grandmother, a powerful fighter. After reading about her adventures, though, he decides to answer the request for help. Armed with his trusty Snailboat, sandwiches, and clean socks, Nurk seeks the sender of the letter. He eventually finds her clinging to a dead log. She needs help retrieving her brother, the Prince of the Dragonflies. Nurk must overcome doubts, fears, and giant caterpillars to rescue the prince and finish his adventures.
Genre: Animals, Fantasy, Adventure
Reading Level: Grades 3-6
Similar Titles: Whales on Stilts!, The End of the Beginning: Being the Adventures of a Small Snail (and an Even Smaller Ant)
Personal Thoughts: In some ways, Nurk reminds me of Coraline. Both are surprisingly funny, down-to-earth, and stuck in supernatural circumstances which they acknowledge ludicrously. However, while Coraline's adventures are disturbing and ominous, Nurk approaches his dangers with a dry sense of humor and honest assessment of his predicaments. As a result, the text contains a sympathetic, funny, but not terrifying adventure.
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